20. Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was born on 21 October 1969 and is the eldest son of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

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His Royal Highness Prince Salman was educated in Bahrain and subsequently attended the American University in Washington DC, graduating with a BA in Public Administration. He pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge, earning a Masters in Philosophy and History.

His Royal Highness was sworn in as Crown Prince of the State of Bahrain on 9 March 1999, following his father’s accession to the throne as Amir of Bahrain, and assumed the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force on 22 March the same year. Before he was appointed Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Salman served as Undersecretary of Defence from 1995 to 1999 and was Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research. On 3 March 2002, His Royal Highness was appointed Chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), responsible for formulating and overseeing the Kingdom’s economic development strategy and attracting foreign direct investment into Bahrain. In January 2008, His Majesty King Hamad appointed His Royal Highness Prince Salman to the post of Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

In March 2013, His Royal Highness was appointed by His Majesty the King as First Deputy Prime Minister. His Royal Highness is crucial in promoting development within the Kingdom and supporting significant economic, educational and health services development.

On 11 November 2020, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was appointed as Prime Minister after the death of his great uncle, Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman, who had held the position for more than fifty years.

On 19 September 2022, he attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London.

The Crown Prince has played a fundamental role in positioning Bahrain as the region’s pioneer for motorsport, delivering the region’s first Formula One track, launched to critical acclaim in 2004. The Kingdom celebrated nineteen years of Formula One in the Middle East with the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, the signature event in a sport that also forms a vital pillar in the Kingdom’s broad and diverse economic strategy.